Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-12-17
THE ERA OF SLANG.
Expressions which Send the Creopo Up
the Rurlsts Back

From the Philadelphia Call
Tne era Of slang is upon us 9th q breadth that
Is almost appalling Not only the slang that might
De oenned as the burlesQue or colloquial form OF
expression, the language OF low humor or the jar
gonof thieves and Migrants, but species that Is
almost as reprehensible. 1t with not do to apollo
gze for 1t by saying that slang is probably as old
as human speech" and that the early writers In
dulged init especially the Greek and Roman dram
atists; and while we may speak and write against
the pernfcfous habit, we suspect that We shall not
grow disguised enough with it to tho roughly up
root It until 1t has reached It's climax The worst
fact about 1t Is that 1t is not confined to the low
and the illiterate, but has invaded the public
schools cultured society, and the literature OF our
books / admit that some OF the slang express
stons are f0rcible and full OF adeQuateneSs, among
which might name "rired out" Colossal cheek, !"
&C. STILL even they ought to be tabO0ed.
But what excuse can possibly be offered for such
words as "galloot,n ''sardne," 'chump," "kicker,"
ekld" &C.; or such expressions as aLet her 60
snicker," SNOW you're shoutin'," &c.f They are
scarcely emphatic, and certainly not polite.
speak about his royal nibs' or the "howling
swell The girl OF to-day is ready TO "bet her
bottom dollar" wants to know "what you're
gtvfn' her, let's you know that you are ION your
base, and insists that you shall "c0me on "vam-
ose," 'skedaddle," ''a6Squatulate," and all that.
reverend fear' is beyond your comprehension.
Ask her to sing your sentimental ballad and she
VIII probably say: 80, really Mr.. l cawnr.
While playing lawn-tennis with her she sud-
denly cries out, Oh, you've given me such twist
You feel exceedingly alarmed; you are afraid her
cOlar-bOne is broken or that at least her wrist has
been dislocated You discover, however, that It Is
but tennis slang, and that your sympathy has been
wasted. She confidently tells you that Jennie
Somebody Is ''no good" and had the ''cheek" to
propose to "scratch" her at the meeting Of the
club because she hadn't "forked over" the 'spon-
doollcks" for the last quarter. All that Is to be
deprecated; but the girls, heaven bless them look
haven't the heart to be severe in my reproof.
1t isn't pleasant to be accosted by ones f1ve-year-
old hopeful as ian old SnOOZer," or to know that he
is lying in wait to 'knock the stufiin'" out OF a
neighbours boy, or to ''wipe up the floor" with him:
Or to hear our short-sighted but high-Spirited
daughter tell the aforesaid brother that she wishes
the otner boy would paste him on the snoot," or
knOck him clean out Of the box" or intOt the mid
die OF next week." don't know that am es-
pecially sensitive, and yet must say that such
expressions sends the creeps up my back:
The editor savings nasty qaill;" the hired girl
is spot wrestler" when thing suits us IT'S 'just
the cheese" when too noisy we are told to "dry
up" or to suspend" when cunningly on the alert
we say mot If the court knows itself If one day Is
not available "S'mOther one" Is; when we die we
''pass 10 our checks" are "put away on ice, and
are finally planted So might go on I'D tiliini-
tuns. You can think, am sure, Of at least hun
dred words and phrases to which have made nc
reference. For lnventing cute words and phrases
our country leads the procession. They are clever
and appropriate get into the topical song, the pub
lie ''catch on" and they live and thrive, and In
| many instances the dictionary finally legiumlzes
them.
Slang, insist, Is the fungus on the stem. 1t is
not the grated fruit 1t is the scum OF language
| 1t often belittles; it never beauties II we all
spoke and wrote In less exaggerated manner we
would be less exaggerated III OUR ways OF life and
thought. Life. as well as speech, would perhaps
grow more simple, more true, more worth living.